William Gillies Broadfoot 1887-1961

When William Gillies Broadfoot was born on December 27, 1887, in Fayetteville, North Carolina, his father, Major John Barrett Broadfoot, was 27 and his mother, Sarah Frances Bryan, was 25. WGB attended North Carolina Agricultural and Mechanic Arts College and graduated in the class of 1907 at the age of 20. From there, he moved to Ithaca, New York to attended Cornell University where he was voted Freshman class president. He graduated in 1912. WGB became the New England salesman for the the Saco-Lowell Shops and he lived in Andover, Massachusetts for a time. In 1915, William moved to Concord, NC and helped open the Norcott Mill. He named the mill after his maternal grandmother, Mary Norcott. In 1916, WGB moved back to New York to join the firm of Diccks, David, and Broadfoot, a textile company. The stay in New York was brief because in August of 1917, he moved back to North Carolina to be a partner in Klison Hosiery located in Connelly Springs.

In September of 1917, members of a friendly luncheon were pleasantly surprised to find out of the engagement of WGB to Elizabeth “Lizzie” Avera Winston. They were married on October 11, 1917, in Selma, Johnston County, North Carolina. They had three children during their marriage: William Gillies Broadfoot, Jr. born August 17, 1918 in Selma, NC, Winston Broadfoot born February 20, 1920 in Wilmington, NC and Shepard Bryan Broadfoot born December 19, 1924 in Atlanta, GA. On March 4, 1919, Broadfoot Iron Works was incorporated in Wilmington, NC with William Gillies at the helm. William was also heavily involved in the textile industry. While living in Atlanta, Georgia, he was vice president and textile director of the Textile Mills Company in Marble Falls, TX. In 1925, he served as president of the Marcelle Cotton Mills in Eufaula, Alabama, all while concurrently being vice president of the Roswell Mill in Roswell, GA.

By 1928, the couple had moved back to Wilmington, NC. WGB and Lizzie Broadfoot bought Buena Vista in 1935. For the next 20 or so years, WGB stayed busy as the owner of Broadfoot Iron Works. During World War II, Broadfoot Iron Works was greatly involved in the war effort providing essential war material. In 1942, WGB was named vice consul to Norway and was later honored with the Order of the St. Olav for coming to the rescue of a young Norwegian sailor.

In July of 1950, Broadfoot Iron Works was up for auction. Life changed dramatically for WGB in 1951, when a legal case was formed against WGB for not paying income taxes. While vehemently denying any wrong-doing, WGB fled the state of North Carolina so he could not be brought to court. He ended up in St. Petersburg, FL and became a real estate broker. While Lizzie and WGB were never legally divorced, they both led independent lives for the remainder of the their time. WGB kept up rigorous correspondence with family through letters and occasional visits. He always cared deeply for the success and happiness of his progeny. He had a special friend Martha, with whom he lived out his days.

He spent a great deal of time in Clayton, Georgia especially during the Georgia Mountain Festival. It is here he died on August 14, 1961 at the age of 73. He is buried in New Bern, North Carolina at the Cedar Grove Cemetery.

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• <img src="https://broadfoots.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/cornell-class-president.jpg?w=400&quot; alt="Cornell Class President<br>7 Nov 1908
  

• <img src="https://broadfoots.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/bryan_broadfoot-family.jpg?w=1024&quot; alt="Broadfoot/Bryan Families 1912<br>Black Mountain, N.C.
  

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• <img src="https://broadfoots.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/the_news_and_observer_tue__mar_4__1919_.jpg?w=679&quot; alt="Incorporation of Broadfoot Iron Works
  

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